Honor King's memory

Published: Monday, January 18, 2010 at 9:25 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 18, 2010 at 9:25 a.m.

“And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, ‘When will you be satisfied?’ We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities.”

—The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

As America observes Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday today, there are many gains of which we must take note.

A black man occupies the highest office on the face of the Earth, for instance.

President Barack Obama is on the verge of seeing his first anniversary in office, and the U.S. has notched another milestone in the ongoing march toward equal rights for all.

In the decades since King’s death, America has grown accustomed to blacks and whites attending the same schools and colleges, living in the same neighborhoods, staying in the same hotels, eating in the same restaurants and working in the same places.

No longer are the most-egregious examples of racism in King’s day evident in our society.

Lest we hurt our arms patting ourselves on the back, though, it is useful to remember that there are lingering, more insidious indications that freedom and equality have not yet arrived.

Poverty rates, unemployment rates, incomes and various other measures of social and economic wellbeing continue to show that black America continues to confront many struggles.

Does that mean that racism persists? Perhaps not. But there are other indications, such as some segments’ enduring denial of Obama’s presidency, that black Americans are not entirely accepted in some realms.

The good news is that there have been measurable gains — gains that by their very definition improve conditions for all of America, not just black America.

The bad news, or the remaining challenge, is that there is still plenty of room for improvement, improvement that will also go a long way toward making life better for America as a whole.

Martin Luther King was a leader not because he insisted on fair and equal treatment of black Americans, but because he embraced the promise that America’s founders made to future generations.

In insisting that the U.S. live up to its own potential, he challenged the people of his time to improve themselves and their nation as a whole.

As we mark this day, let us rededicate ourselves to continuing that effort, for the good of us all.

Editorials represent the opinions of the newspaper, not of any individual.

<p>“And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, 'When will you be satisfied?' We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities.”</p><p>—The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.</p><p>As America observes Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday today, there are many gains of which we must take note.</p><p>A black man occupies the highest office on the face of the Earth, for instance.</p><p>President Barack Obama is on the verge of seeing his first anniversary in office, and the U.S. has notched another milestone in the ongoing march toward equal rights for all.</p><p>In the decades since King's death, America has grown accustomed to blacks and whites attending the same schools and colleges, living in the same neighborhoods, staying in the same hotels, eating in the same restaurants and working in the same places.</p><p>No longer are the most-egregious examples of racism in King's day evident in our society.</p><p>Lest we hurt our arms patting ourselves on the back, though, it is useful to remember that there are lingering, more insidious indications that freedom and equality have not yet arrived.</p><p>Poverty rates, unemployment rates, incomes and various other measures of social and economic wellbeing continue to show that black America continues to confront many struggles.</p><p>Does that mean that racism persists? Perhaps not. But there are other indications, such as some segments' enduring denial of Obama's presidency, that black Americans are not entirely accepted in some realms.</p><p>The good news is that there have been measurable gains — gains that by their very definition improve conditions for all of America, not just black America.</p><p>The bad news, or the remaining challenge, is that there is still plenty of room for improvement, improvement that will also go a long way toward making life better for America as a whole.</p><p>Martin Luther King was a leader not because he insisted on fair and equal treatment of black Americans, but because he embraced the promise that America's founders made to future generations.</p><p>In insisting that the U.S. live up to its own potential, he challenged the people of his time to improve themselves and their nation as a whole.</p><p>As we mark this day, let us rededicate ourselves to continuing that effort, for the good of us all.</p><p>Editorials represent the opinions of the newspaper, not of any individual.</p>